Clare Island Survey — Ares. 20J21 



Twelve Pins ; also on the Co. Clare cliffs, and the precipitous Kerry 

 coasts, whence they visit the islands irregularly. 



But it is in Donegal, including Aranmore and Tory Island, that this 

 bird has most breeding-places. In 1891, H. C. Hart considered it strongly 

 dominant and by no means decreasing in the county. 



Corvus cornix, Linn. Hooded Ceoav. — A few are resident on the island. 

 Praeger has seen two nests, which on the Irish coasts are always on cliffs. 

 Clare Island light-keepers have observed small flocks in May, September, 

 and December ; and at Belmullet "Wallace has noticed small flocks in 

 September and October. Patten saw the Hooded Crow feed contentedly 

 under a soaring Peregrine : and there is a record from the Tearaght, 

 where these birds breed, that six pursued a Peregrine until it quitted the 

 rock. The species seems to be increasing where not destroyed as vermin, 

 and nests commonly on islands, as the Blaskets and Skelligs, where 

 the Raven does not breed. In Connemara it builds on bushes of the 

 islands in moorland lakes, one of which, " Lough Phenogee," is called 

 after it. 



Corvus frugilegus, Linn. Rook. — Does not breed on Clare Island, but 

 considerable numbers resort thither in the end of June and onwards 

 until March. Praeger saw 100 together in July. They feed even on the 

 mountain moors; and young Rooks can be seen on the island fed by their 

 parents. Light-keepers' observations made there of the flocks of Rooks 

 agree with Barrington's statistics of this species for the whole west 

 coast. They show that the principal movement, as in the case of the 

 Jackdaw, is in November, and that a lesser movement is' observed in 

 March. Great nomadic flights of Rooks, arriving fatigued from the 

 Atlantic (chiefly observed at theSkelligs and Tearaght), were noticed on this 

 coast at Black Rock and Slyne Head, in 1884, 1888, and 1890. 1 Though 

 the Rook does not breed on any western island, it nests as far as trees 

 extend on the mainland, even at Ballycroy ; and there is a large rookery 

 in Westport demesne. Warren has noticed a great increase of Rooks at 

 Moyview, near Killala Bay. 



Alauda arvensis, Linn. Sky-Lark.— Common. Breeds on Clare Island ; 

 heard singing in March and July ; observed at altitudes of 1000 feet in 

 September, in which month and October and November flocks of " larks " 

 are noticed by the light-keepers. The Sky-Lark is found everywhere in 

 summer through the west, even on the desolate, wet moors of Mayo and 



1 Barrington's " Migration of Birds," pp. 153-156. 



